Chapter 1642: Mood Swing

___Cestine Palace___

"Oh no..." Lory suddenly clutched her chest, her face turning deathly pale.

Lucas, who had been reading documents on the sofa, immediately sprang to his feet. "Lory?" he asked anxiously, crossing the room in two quick strides. "Are you alright? Do you feel unwell?"

Fredhardt, who had been standing nearby with his arms folded while supervising Lory’s condition like an overprotective mother-in-law, hurried over as well.

"What happened?" he demanded. "Where does it hurt? Your stomach, your chest?"

Lory slowly raised her head. Her expression was unusually grave.

"I could feel it..." she said in a trembling voice. "Someone... a woman is eyeing my handsome husband."

"..." The room fell into complete silence; everyone’s movement halted at the same time. Lucas and Fredhardt stared at her blankly, blinking several times as if they had misheard.

Finally, Lucas looked at her with an incredulous expression, "...Come again?"

Lory pressed a hand dramatically against her chest, her face filled with exaggerated despair.

"My heart is palpitating..." she cried. "Someone wants to steal my husband."

Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose and released a weary sigh. "Lory... I don’t think that’s even remotely possible."

The very thought was ridiculous.

Zhao Li Xin’s perpetually cold, emotionless face flashed through Lucas’s mind. That man barely spared a glance for anyone outside the small circle of people who surrounded Lory. As for other women? The last one foolish enough to try seducing him had lost both her arms.

Lucas shook his head.

He would rather believe a pig could dance than believe Zhao Li Xin would ever cheat on Lory.

"It’s true!" she protested immediately. "I can feel it! Some woman is definitely staring at Li Xin right now!"

Fredhardt’s mouth twitched. "And that’s your conclusion?"

"What else?" Lory insisted. "My heart feels so tight. This has to be it! A woman’s intuition is never wrong!"

Meanwhile, Fredhardt turned to the breakfast tray beside the bed. His eyes swept over the empty dishes... By the time he reached the sixth empty plate, his eyelid twitched violently.

He slowly turned back to Lory. "You ate all of these?"

Lory shrugged. "...Yeah."

Fredhardt pointed at the tray with a trembling finger. "That is six spicy lamb chops."

"Uh-huh," she answered blankly.

"Six," Fredhardt emphasized the word once again.

"What about it?" Lory asked, confused and slightly annoyed.

"You ate all six of them. By yourself." Fredhardt gave her an incredulous look.

"Hey, I was eating for three!" she justified herself.

"That’s what I’m worried about." Fredhardt inhaled deeply before pulling his phone from his pocket. "Hello? Palace Medical Unit?"

"Eh?" Lory frowned in confusion.

"Yes," Fredhardt continued with a perfectly straight face. "Please come to Princess Lorient’s bedchamber."

"..."

"No, it’s not the babies... I need you to check Her Highness condition."

"..."

"She’s experiencing heart palpitations, severe mood swings, and emotional instability," Fredhardt continued in a calm, clinical tone. "Yes... I also suspect acute indigestion."

Lory gasped in outrage. "I do not have indigestion!"

Fredhardt paid her no mind.

"Yes, please send up a pregnancy-safe digestive remedy," he instructed calmly. "She appears to be experiencing dyspepsia, likely due to overeating. I’d also like her to be evaluated, just to be safe."

After a brief pause, he added, "Yes, this was an oversight on my part. I’ll be monitoring Her Highness’s diet more closely from now on."

He ended the call and turned to Lory with a satisfied smile as if saying: ’I’m back’

Lory’s eyes widened in horror. "Nooo!"

Her anguished wail echoed throughout the bedroom, sounding less like a protest and more like the despairing cry of a villain facing her inevitable downfall.

__________________________________________

___Back to Yiya state palace ____

Zhang Yu Wei’s daughter, Zhang Fei Fei, was a twenty-three-year-old woman renowned for her beauty, intelligence, and cheerful disposition. Raised in privilege, she carried herself with the effortless confidence of someone who had never known want.

Since childhood, doors had opened for her, and admiration had always come easily. Yet today, for the first time in years, that confidence was being put to the test.

Drawing a quiet breath, she offered the devastatingly handsome man a warm smile. "Mr. Zhao, I had the opportunity to see your work at the Xiya National Gallery, and I was truly amazed by your talent." Her eyes sparkled with admiration.

"If you have the time, would you be willing to share some of your knowledge with me? I’m an art enthusiast myself, and I have a small collection of ink paintings. Perhaps you might find it... quite interesting."

Zhao Li Xin took a slow sip of his tea. His gaze briefly shifted from the porcelain cup to the young woman before returning to his tea.

"No." The single word fell without hesitation.

"There are still too many places that need to be purified. I don’t have time." Zhao Li Xin scoffed inwardly; if he had time, he would rather go home early and spend his time with his beautiful wife.

Zhang Fei Fei’s smile nearly faltered, but she quickly composed herself. "Then... perhaps after the purification is complete? If you could spare just a little of your time—"

"I’m afraid that won’t be possible." Her words were interrupted by Zhao Li Xin’s calm reply.

"I must return home. My wife is waiting for me." His voice remained courteous, yet resolute, leaving no room for further discussion. He could not understand why a woman would repeatedly ask a married man to accompany her despite having already been refused.

"Oh..." Zhang Fei Fei’s eyes widened slightly. She had not expected such a direct rejection. Embarrassment flooded her face as she instinctively glanced toward her parents.

Seeing her daughter’s crestfallen expression, Madam Zhang’s heart ached. At the same time, a trace of displeasure surfaced. Even if he was already married, Fei Fei had merely wished to have a conversation. Was there really any need to reject her so bluntly?

"Mr. Zhao," Madam Zhang said with an elegant smile, "our nation is home to many of the world’s most accomplished masters of ink painting. It would be our great honor if you would remain with us for a few additional hours and exchange ideas with them. Such an opportunity would undoubtedly prove enriching for all involved. Should you ever wish to exhibit your works here, please know that we would be delighted to provide our full support."

In Madam Zhang’s eyes, it was an offer few artists could possibly refuse. As an artist, Zhao Li Xin should naturally seek greater recognition. Fame, prestige, influential connections, generous patronage, and the opportunity to exhibit his work before the world’s finest connoisseurs- surely no artist would willingly let such a chance slip away.

Zhang Fei Fei watched Zhao Li Xin with quiet anticipation. If only he agreed to stay a little longer, perhaps she would have the opportunity to know him better.

She had no intention of becoming the other woman. Such a scandal would only strain the relationship between two nations. Still, spending a few hours in the company of a man of such extraordinary beauty was a rare privilege, one she would gladly treasure as a fond memory. Perhaps, if fortune allowed, they might even become friends.

...And if, someday, he was no longer with his wife...

Well, she certainly wouldn’t object.

Leon’s brows drew together almost imperceptibly. He did not like the direction this conversation was taking. Were they seriously setting their sights on Her Highness’s husband? How preposterous!

"No." Zhao Li Xin cut in once more, his calm voice leaving no room for further persuasion.

"I have left too many responsibilities waiting for me at home. I cannot afford to waste any more time, so I hope you understand."

His refusal was courteous, yet unmistakably firm. Although his tone remained polite, the faint chill in his expression made it clear that he had no wish to entertain the matter any further.

Zhang Fei Fei’s expression dimmed, while the First Lady’s gracious smile stiffened for the briefest of moments.

Across the table, Zhang Yu Wei regarded the young man in thoughtful silence.

Surprisingly, he felt no offense at Zhao Li Xin’s unwavering refusal of his daughter’s invitation. On the contrary, a quiet admiration took root in his heart.

A man who remained steadfast before temptation, who placed his wife above status, influence, and personal gain, was a man of integrity. Such a person was far easier to trust than those who bent with every favorable offer.

Yet his curiosity only deepened.

Where did such unshakable composure come from?

Even standing before the President of Xiya and the First Family, Zhao Li Xin displayed neither nervousness nor the slightest desire to curry favor. His every word and action carried a quiet certainty, as though no title in the world could sway his principles.

Was it because King Lucas stood behind him? ℯ

...No.

Zhang Yu Wei dismissed the thought almost as quickly as it arose.

Even with a powerful monarch as his patron, most people would still exercise caution and diplomacy in a situation like this.

Yet Zhao Li Xin remained completely unmoved, as though the prestige of the presidential family, and even their goodwill, held no more significance than a passing breeze.

Sensing the atmosphere growing tense, Zhang Yu Wei let out a light chuckle, effortlessly dissolving the awkward silence.

"It’s quite all right, Mr. Zhao," he said with an easy smile. "Given the state of the world these days, discussing art is a luxury we can scarcely afford."

As he spoke, he cast a discreet glance toward his wife, silently urging her to let the matter end there.

The First Lady understood immediately. Realizing she had pressed the issue a little too far, she concealed her disappointment behind a graceful smile and quietly returned to her breakfast. Beside her, Zhang Fei Fei lowered her gaze, swallowing both her disappointment and bruised pride without another word.

Just then, the phone inside Zhao Li Xin’s coat vibrated. He reached into his coat with unhurried composure and withdrew the device. The instant his eyes fell upon the caller’s name, the corners of his lips curved into a faint, pleasant smile.

It was a subtle change, almost imperceptible.

Yet in that fleeting moment, the icy detachment that usually surrounded him melted away completely, revealing a warmth no one at the table had imagined he possessed.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhao Li Xin rose to his feet and gave a courteous nod. "Excuse me." He turned and walked out of the dining room, answering the call before President Zhang had the chance to respond.

For a long moment, silence lingered in his wake. Zhang Yu Wei was dumbfounded. It wasn’t the abrupt departure that caught him off guard—under the circumstances, he could overlook such a breach of etiquette.

But that’s not what surprised him.

What truly caught Zhang Yu Wei off guard was the smile.

It was the first time he had ever seen Zhao Li Xin smile.

Across the table, Zhang Fei Fei and the First Lady exchanged equally astonished glances. Until this moment, they had believed the young man to be nothing more than an untouchable block of ice, forever wrapped in an aura of cold indifference.

Yet that fleeting smile had transformed him completely.

It was warm, gentle, and so genuine that, for a brief instant, the man who had seemed distant beyond reach suddenly appeared startlingly human.

"It’s his wife," Leon said with a chuckle, taking an unhurried sip of his coffee.

Zhang Yu Wei blinked in surprise. "He seems to care for his wife very deeply."

Leon’s smile broadened ever so slightly. "You have no idea."

Having spent enough time with Zhao Li Xin, Leon understood the man’s nature well. If he had to wager everything he owned, he would do so without the slightest hesitation.

Were it not for Princess Lorient, Zhao Li Xin would never have cared about the contamination plaguing the land, nor would he have wasted his time traveling halfway across the continent to save a nation that had nothing to do with him.

A man like Zhao Li Xin cared little for the affairs of the world. Kingdoms could rise or crumble before his eyes, and he likely would not spare them a second glance. Leon knew that such indifference was not arrogance, nor was it an act. It was simply the nature of a man whose heart had long since grown cold.

Fortunately, he had fallen in love with their princess. And it wasn’t merely love—it was unwavering devotion, bordering on obsession, as though she were the very anchor of his world.

If only these people knew. The only reason Zhao Li Xin had come to help was simply to ease Princess Lorient’s burden. Nothing more.

Ha... that man was truly insane, but he liked it. After all, one had to be at least a little crazy to marry into the House of Lucient.

Across the table, Zhang Fei Fei’s gaze lingered on the doorway through which Zhao Li Xin had left. For the briefest moment, a trace of envy and jealousy flickered across her eyes before she lowered her gaze, masking every hint of emotion as though nothing had happened.